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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25234018">When People Aren't Perfect- TOS Edition</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatdoyouwantpaul/pseuds/whatdoyouwantpaul'>whatdoyouwantpaul</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: The Original Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Lesbians, M/M, Minor Injuries, Sick Spock, Sickfic, T'hy'la, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vulcan, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW, friendships, like... lesbians are the main focus, mostly lesbians, so many beta readers, very gay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:15:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,325</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25234018</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatdoyouwantpaul/pseuds/whatdoyouwantpaul</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times that members of the Enterprise crew got seriously minor injuries and were big babies about it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Christine Chapel/Nyota Uhura, James T. Kirk/Spock</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>72</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Kirk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Did I write this because I'm soft for Spock carrying Kirk and I couldn't find any fics about that? Or did I write this because there's a criminal lack of Chahura in this fandom? The answer is both. It's both.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is your fault… I blame you for this.” Kirk groaned, holding onto his left calf. </p><p>Over the past few days, Dr. McCoy had insisted that Kirk get a full hour of non-work-related exercise, and it was hell. The Captain fully believed that his work and his thirty minutes of sparring a day was plenty, especially since he was sparring with a Vulcan. According to McCoy, it was not. </p><p>And so began the rigorous, some would say torturous, workout schedule of James T. Kirk. To tell the entire truth, though, McCoy did give him a choice: more non-work-related exercise, or stick to a diet of McCoy’s choosing. Kirk obviously chose the former. Because of this, Kirk was now sitting on a sterile metal table in the sickbay, complaining of a sharp pain in his legs.</p><p>The doctor sighed and took a drink from his scotch. “Would you stop being such a child, Jim? It’s only medial tibial stress syndrome.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Shin splints. I know I told you to exercise, but I didn’t tell you to do it so damn much. It put stress on your leg, so now it hurts. There’s nothing much I can do except give you a muscle relaxant and advise you to stay off your feet.”</p><p>“I can still work, right?”</p><p>Bones sighed. “It’s not ideal, but if you must.”</p><p>“So… I can’t work?”</p><p>“No, you can, I’d just prefer you not to.” He paused. “Not because of the injury or anything. Now, I don’t want to see you back in here again anytime soon or I swear to the lord above that I’ll take my tricorder and—“</p><p>Kirk laughed and got up, wincing when he did. That wince got him a palpable eye roll from Bones (which probably hurt worse than the injury he was seen for). He couldn’t help but chuckle at that as he walked out and bumped into a certain tall, pointy-eared man that he was trying to avoid for no particular reason that definitely did not pertain to a possibly romantic relationship and not at all relating to how embarrassing such an injury would be to a love interest.</p><p>“Good morning, Captain,” Spock greeted, stepping back.</p><p>“Yeah, mornin’...” </p><p>“Captain, I must ask why you were in sickbay. Are you ill?”</p><p>He shrugged. “Something like that.”</p><p>“He exercised too much and so he got shin splints.” McCoy took a drink as he spoke up.</p><p>“Shin.. splints, Doctor?” </p><p>“Medial tibial stress syndrome.”</p><p>Spock gave a quick nod. “Ah. I assume you’ve advised the captain to avoid as much physical activity as possible?”</p><p>“Mr. Spock, it’s not that severe.” </p><p>“Medial tibial stress syndrome, when ignored, can cause stress fractures, which would be marginally more debilitating to you, Captain.” Spock raised an eyebrow.</p><p>Jim scoffed, very offended by the assumption about his pain threshold. “I think I’ve been through worse than a minor stress fracture… I got bit by that venomous monster on Neural.”</p><p>“And proceeded to cry like a baby about it for months,” McCoy muttered.</p><p>“I almost died!”</p><p>“Captain,” Spock cut in. “You made that abundantly clear during the aforementioned months.”</p><p>“Well, what do you suggest I do if you’re so worried about my legs?” Kirk crossed his arms and imitated Spock’s neutral expression. </p><p>Spock paused a moment. “Well, it’s recommended that you limit unnecessary physical activity.”</p><p>“And how do I do that?”</p><p>Spock raised an eyebrow.</p><p>                              •                                     •</p><p>“This is humiliating,” Kirk said with a well-hidden smile, currently resting in Spock’s arms. WIth Kirk being captain and all, most of his physical activity was very necessary, so Spock’s proposed line of action was to completely erase minor movements like the walk from sickbay to the bridge. He did this by carrying Kirk from one place to another. </p><p>This, to Spock, was the most logical course of action. To Kirk, it was embarrassing. However, the only person who really knew what was really happening was Dr. McCoy. See, he knew there was practically no danger of fracturing the bone, and so this whole ‘carrying’ business was unnecessary. He also had eyes. And so he could see the looks Kirk gave Spock, and the things Spock would do for Kirk. So he didn’t say anything about it.</p><p>“I must agree that it’s rather unprofessional.” No one in the halls seemed to be shocked by this new development, because they also had eyes. “However, it’s the most logical course of action.”</p><p>Kirk wrapped his arms around Spock’s neck in a very professional way. “I can see how it would be necessary.”</p><p>“Congratulations, you two,” Lieutenant Uhura stopped them in the hall, laughing. </p><p>“Congratulations?” Spock inquired.</p><p>Kirk shrugged and kissed Spock’s cheek.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Uhura</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lieutenant Uhura has a headache, and Nurse Chapel just wanted to help.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nyota Uhura was not usually the most injury-prone crewmate on the Enterprise, but as of late, she seemed to be ending up in sickbay more often that Kirk did. A broken bone, a gash in her side from an unfortunate mishap during a mission. This was increasingly annoying to Dr. McCoy, who now had to deal with Kirk’s incessant complaining and Uhura’s newly frequent visits.</p><p>So, in light of these recent events, she was nervous to be back in sickbay for the splitting pain in her head. Fortunately, she was content to lie in bed and die if she needed to, rather than embarrass herself in front of her close friends. She had people who looked up to her damn it! She wasn’t about to let them see her in sickbay for a headache.</p><p>Her absence, of course, was worrying to the majority of the crew. It was most worrying, however, to Nurse Christine Chapel, who was Uhura’s usual nurse and very very good friend. The crew assumed that she wasn’t feeling well or had something important to do and got her a one-day substitute, but Christine wasn’t so used to seeing her gone. And so she made a bowl of soup, which she often did for patients, and headed down to Uhura’s room.</p><p>“Come in,” Uhura’s voice was as sweet as ever, if a little more tired.</p><p>Chapel entered her room with a smile. “Good afternoon, Nyota. Where have you been?”</p><p>“Did Dr. McCoy send you?” She propped herself up from the bed with her elbows. It was hard to ignore that she looked tired, with dark circles and a softer smile than usual.</p><p>“He doesn’t even know that I’m here.”</p><p>“That’s good. What’s that you brought?”</p><p>“Oh!” Chapel looked down at the tray. “Soup. The kind I always try to give Mr. Spock when he doesn’t feel well.”</p><p>“Try to?”</p><p>“It never works unless I send Kirk to give it to him. Anyway, I figured you weren’t feeling well, so I brought some down.”</p><p>“Christine, you’re an angel. If you were so inclined I would kiss you.” She pushed her blanket off and stood, making Chapel freeze for a moment and blush. She was wearing her Starfleet-Issued sleepwear, or at least, she was partially. The baggy grey sweatpants paired nicely with the tight, red and gold, Kenyan flag tank top. Uhura looked gorgeous in it.</p><p>Chapel was always… interested in Uhura’s fashion and decor choices. How everything from her jewelry to her throw pillows had a touch of her personality in them. How her bookshelves were always getting fuller. She was simply an interesting person when Chapel thought about it.</p><p>“Well… here it is.” She set the tray down and began to leave.</p><p>“Wait!” Uhura stopped her. “Couldn’t you stay and talk for a while?”</p><p>She bit her lip and considered this. On one hand, she should get back to work. On the other hand, Uhura wanted her to stay. “I suppose I could…”</p><p>Uhura sat down and pat the spot next to her. Trying to hide her blush, Chapel complied. While sitting down, she tried to notice anything other than Uhura’s tight shirt or dark, almost black eyes. Soft, zigzag patterned blankets. Beautiful, traditionally patterned pillows. Beaded curtain in front of her closet door. Anything but her.</p><p>Interrupting Chapel’s avoidance, Uhura placed a hand over hers.</p><p>“So,” Chapel snapped back to her senses. “What have you been up to?”</p><p>“Mostly trying to sleep and failing.”</p><p>“Any clue why?” She reflexively began to log the symptoms on her PADD.</p><p>Uhura sighed. “I didn’t ask you to stay so I could get a medical examination, Christine.” </p><p>“Oh, of course, my apologies.”</p><p>“If you must know, I woke up yesterday with a very persistent migraine.”</p><p>She furrowed her eyebrows. “Why, Nyota, we could fix that in seconds!”</p><p>Laughing slightly, Uhura shook her head. “I suppose I could use the day off. And besides, I’ve been into Doctor McCoy’s so many times this week, I didn’t want to go in again. It’s a little silly now that I say it aloud…”</p><p>“Why do I feel like that isn’t all?”</p><p>“Well,” She chuckled. “Maybe I knew you’d come down here to check on me.”</p><p>“Me?” Christine felt a blush creep up her neck.</p><p>“I must admit that I’ve been thinking about you quite a bit lately. Especially with how much I’ve been in sickbay.” Uhura moved closer to Chapel and placed a hand over hers. “You’ve been there for me. I appreciate that.”</p><p>“Oh…” It was all Chapel could manage to get out while staring into Uhura’s wide, black eyes. It took a few moments of silence before she could give a full response. “Well, if you don’t want to go to sickbay, I could take care of you here.”</p><p>“Oh, could you? Christine, you’re an angel!” Uhura threw her arms around Chapel and hugged her tightly. </p><p>“I uh… of course!” Chapel smiled, developing a very good feeling about where the day was headed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Christine Chapel is sick, overworked, and underappreciated. She takes care of everyone, especially her girlfriend. Now it's Uhura's turn to take care of her, and McCoy's turn to feel overworked.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay I know this took forever but it's SO LONG so I think that's proportionate.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Nurse! Nurse!!” Another patient called. It seemed like Chapel was being torn apart these days. Patients were constantly asking her for things that they or Dr. McCoy could easily do without keeping her on her feet. Nevertheless, she rushed over to address the newest request as soon as she was done with her current task. Once she was finished, she found a very disgruntled ensign lying in a hospital bed.</p><p>She put on a cheery smile to contrast the ensign’s frown. “Yes?”</p><p>“Nurse, I called for you nearly ten minutes ago.” The ensign crossed his arms. “Aren’t you supposed to be here as soon as possible?”</p><p>“Exactly. As possible. I was working with another patient. What do you need?”</p><p>“It’s cold.”</p><p>“You have a blanket,” Nurse Chapel sighed, furrowing her eyebrows. “We can’t alter sickbay temperatures without formal request. Too many species in the federation are dangerously sensitive to the heat, and this includes the Enterprise, so Starfleet has a set temperature for each ship based on the population of each species on said ship.”</p><p>“Awfully formal response…”</p><p>“Starfleet regulation. Now, I’m sorry, but unless you submit a formal complaint with at least ten signatures we simply cannot change the temperature.”</p><p>“That’s stupid.”</p><p>“Well, everything on a starship is highly regulated, that’s something you learn.”</p><p>The ensign snorted. “What do you know about starships? You’re just a nurse.”</p><p>Heat spread across Chapel’s face as she heard those words. It wasn’t the first time someone had called her ‘just a nurse’, but Chapel wasn’t exactly known for being tough. Every time it grew worse, it was as if they were getting more condescending.</p><p>“I know quite enough, thank you. Now, excuse me while I tend to patients that I can help.” She quickly stormed off with more heat in her face than before. Usually, things like that didn’t get to her, but she hadn’t been feeling well. As a nurse, she would have checked it out but she had been so—</p><p>“Chapel!!” McCoy called, interrupting her line of thought. Shaking off the heat in her face and the slight pain in her throat, she hurried towards his voice. She sighed as soon as she saw the room full of commanders and ensigns with black and blue welts covering their skin. </p><p>“Doctor, what is—”</p><p>“The entire away team has been infected by some sort of fungal infection from Cassius Six. I don’t have any clue about what it is, and I only know that it isn’t deadly. I think. Either way, we need samples so I need you and the other nurses to pop those welts and collect what comes out for analysis.”</p><p>Chapel bit her lip. “Doctor I don’t think that’s the best idea…”</p><p>“With all due respect, Chapel, I’m in charge here.” He handed her a hypospray. “Now get crackin’, I have other patients.”</p><p>She groaned and got to work.</p><p>Finally, she was done with her shift. After popping welts, administering medicine, and tending to complaints for hours, she was free to go to her room and collapse. A quick sonic shower, a bite to eat, and a full four hours of sleep before her next shift. It didn’t seem like much, but it didn’t take a lot to relax the head nurse.</p><p>Unfortunately, she got none of that. Her throat pain had intensified by ten by the time she was out the door, so she couldn’t eat, she was much too exhausted to stand up for longer than a minute, and the worst part was that she couldn’t sleep. It was too hot, she was too tired, and she was in too much pain to sleep. </p><p>It was even worse when she woke up from the thirty minutes of sleep that she had managed to get. However, no matter how awful she felt, she had to go into sickbay, if only to ask for the day off. She may even feel better and go to work after all.</p><p>Dr. McCoy did not seem to agree with that hope. He sat her down almost immediately after she walked through the door.</p><p>“Nurse Chapel, you look sick.” No one could accuse Dr. McCoy of being vague, that’s for sure.</p><p>“Well, I have been feeling under the weather since yesterday, but that’s actually what—”</p><p>He placed a beeping instrument on her neck and stared at the screen for a moment. “You’ve got strep throat. Jesus, Chapel, you’re a nurse. You should have known better.”</p><p>“Oh… Well I didn’t realize I was sick until—”</p><p>“No excuses! You put our patients in danger. I believe it would be best if you took today off.”</p><p>“If you think that’s best, Doctor. I think Nurse Hayes is available to cover my shift while I’m gone.”</p><p>“I think I can more than handle it, Chapel.” Dr. McCoy began to type on his PADD even as he was leaving.</p><p>Trying not to clench her jaw and her fists, she took a deep breath. “Yes, sir.”</p><p>And with that, she left, only getting angrier. When she stormed off to her room, she didn’t know what she expected of the rest of the day. However, she did NOT expect Nyota Uhura to be sitting in her bed with a bowl of soup and a cup of tea. She was smiling, her eyes held something like Chapel could have sworn she had never felt before, and as they looked at each other, she felt warmth fill her stomach and chest. Then, she smiled too.</p><p>“What on Earth are you doing here?” Chapel laughed softly. “Aren’t you supposed to be on the bridge? With all the men in charge?”</p><p>“I brought you soup!” Nyota stood, cupping the bowl. “I figured that since you bring soup to everyone else when they’re sick, someone should bring you soup when you’re sick too.”</p><p>“How did you already know that I was sick?”</p><p>“Oh, Christine, I know you better than anyone else. I knew that you weren’t going to feel well before you even got sick.” Uhura handed her the tea. </p><p>Chapel blushed. “I- I like that you always use my first name… Nyota.”</p><p>Uhura kissed her cheek and placed her hands over Chapel’s (still on the tea cup). “I’ll stay here if you want. I know Dr. McCoy is being kind of a dick right now.”</p><p>“What? How—”</p><p>“I already told you, I know you better than anyone else.” </p><p>Giggling, Chapel tucked her hair behind her ear. “Well, if you must know, he is being a real…”</p><p>“Dick?”</p><p>“Um yes. That.”</p><p>“What did he do?”</p><p>Huffing, Chapel sat down. “Don’t even get me started.”</p><p>“But I’m kind of trying to get you started? That’s why I asked what Dr. McCoy did.”</p><p>She sipped her tea and took a deep breath. “Well, first of all, he doesn’t listen to me. I understand that he’s busy and that it’s all in the interest of the patients, but to hell with the patients! They’re all… uh… dicks to me too. None of them want me to say anything because I’m ‘just a nurse’ and apparently that means I do everything that no one else wants to do with no thanks. I don’t get to weigh in, or voice my opinion, or even get one word in. And I expected this from the patients, but not the Doctor. He’s the one who yells at patients when they disrespect the nurses. At least… he usually is.”</p><p>“Oh, damn.” Uhura sat down next to her. “That’s really rough…” </p><p>She nodded and took another sip. “It is…”</p><p>“I think you should tell the doctor as soon as you get back. I bet that they’re miserable without you.”</p><p>“You think?” Chapel smiled. “Oh, surely not.”</p><p>“Oh come on, you do more in the sickbay than anyone else. Dr. McCoy is on the bridge half the time playing leg model for the captain and his boyfriend.”</p><p>“Oh!” She laughed and held her hand over her mouth.</p><p>“What about the captain and me?” Spock was leaning in the doorframe when they looked up.</p><p>“How long have you been standing there?”</p><p>“Long enough that I know that Dr. McCoy is being a dick.” He sauntered over to where they were sitting. “And that you think the captain and I are involved.”</p><p>“Well I didn’t really mention you… I just said his boyfriend.”</p><p>“Which was obviously referring to me.”</p><p>“...yeah.”</p><p>Chapel giggled. </p><p>“Anyway, I agree.” Spock sat down next to them.</p><p>“With the ‘Dr. McCoy is being a dick’ thing or the ‘you’re definitely dating Captain Kirk’ thing?” Uhura crossed one leg over the other.</p><p>“Both.”</p><p>Chapel leaned into Uhura’s shoulder. “Mmm. Thank you both for being here.”</p><p>Uhura smiled. “We were glad to bitch with you. I think that you need some rest.” </p><p>They both began to stand up, but Chapel grabbed the sleeve of Uhura’s uniform. “Wait… could you stay? Just you?”</p><p>Uhura nodded, smiling widely. “Of course I can stay.” She sat down and put an arm around her. </p><p>“You’re warm…” Chapel muttered, her breath relaxing.</p><p>“Are you cold?”</p><p>But Chapel was already asleep.</p><p>Two days later, Chapel was finally feeling better. Her fever broke, her throat stopped swelling, and she was much less sweaty. Most importantly, however, she felt better. And that meant she could go back to work. Over the days that she was sick, a feeling of serenity came over her. Now, she was sure that she was just overreacting and that Dr. McCoy could handle the sick bay on his own.</p><p>She was dead wrong.</p><p>From the minute she walked in, everything was chaos. The doctor was running from patient to patient, with his arms full of different blinking and beeping devices. The very few other nurses seemed to be just as harried as the doctor. </p><p>“Chapel!” Dr. McCoy smiled widely when he saw her, a rare occurrence for the doctor. “You’re back! Thank God!”</p><p>“What’s the matter, Doctor?” She tried to keep the sarcastic edge out of her voice.</p><p>“When you left, all the officers from the away team came back with boils worse than before. Apparently popping them wasn’t the way to go. Then your sickness started spreading across the ship. Since you’ve been gone, we’ve been up to our asses. Mr. Spock had to come on as extra help.”</p><p>Christine smiled. “Where are my gloves, doctor?”</p>
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